Я, Робот
The Evitable Conflict
Headsoffactories;directorsofindustriesandagriculturalcombineswhohatetobewhattheycall’theMachine’soffice-boy’belongtoit.Menwithambitionbelongtoit.Menwhofeelthemselvesstrongenoughtodecideforthemselveswhatisbestforthemselves,andnotjusttobetoldwhatisbestforothers.
"Inshort,justthosemenwho,bytogetherrefusingtoacceptthedecisionsoftheMachine,can,inashorttime,turntheworldtopsy-turvy;justthosebelongtotheSociety.
"Susan,ithangstogether.FiveoftheDirectorsofWorldSteelaremembers,andWorldSteelsuffersfromoverproduction.ConsolidatedCinnabar,whichminedmercuryatAImaden,wasaNorthernconcern.Itsbooksarestillbeinginvestigated,butone,atleast,ofthemenconcernedwasamember.FranciscoVillafranca,who,singlehanded,delayedtheMexicanCanalfortwomonths,wasamember,weknowalready–andsowasRamaVrasayana,Iwasnotatallsurprisedtofindout."
Susansaid,quietly,"Thesemen,Imightpointout,havealldonebadly-"
"Butnaturally,"interjectedByerley."TodisobeytheMachine’sanalysesistofollowanon-optimalpath.Resultsarepoorerthantheymightbe.It’sthepricetheypay.Theywillhaveitroughnowbutintheconfusionthatwilleventuallyfollow-"
"Justwhatdoyouplandoing,Stephen?"
"Thereisobviouslynotimetolose.IamgoingtohavetheSocietyoutlawed,everymemberremovedfromanyresponsiblepost.Andallexecutiveandtechnicalpositions,henceforward,canbefilledonlybyapplicantssigninganon-Societyoath.
